Horn



July 10,1934. L. B, GREENLEAF 1,966,119(

HORN

Filed July 30, 1952 2 Sheets-Sheet l {Mom/ri.

July 10, 1934.

L. B. GREENLEAF HORN Filed July 30, 1932 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 n Patented July 10, 1934 UNITED STATES PATENT" OFFICE of Indiana Application July 30, 1932, Serial No. 626,959

s Claims.

My invention relates to valved wind musical instruments, and particularly to horns, cornets, or the like.

Arr object of my invention is to provide a horn,

or like musical instrument, which has exteriorly fluted valve casings to facilitate the gripping and handling of the instrument in hot weather when the players hands may be moist.

Another object is to provide an improved valve casing top cap for horns, cornets, or thelike.

A third object of the invention is tofprovide an improved water key for horns, or like instruments.

Another object is to provide a water key for horns, or like instruments, in which the key proper is protected against entangling engagement with surrounding or contacting objects, such as the players clothing, fingers etc.

Other objects of the invention are mentioned and described herein.

The invention is illustrated inthe accompanying drawings, wherein Figurey 1- illustrates ai side elevational view of a cornet to which my inventionV is applied;

Figure 2 illustrates an enlarged-sideelevational 2'5 View of a cornet valve casing unit having: fluted casings, and showing' fragments of the'pipe connections therefor;

Fig- 3r illustrates ay section taken on line 3-3 of Fig. 2;

` Fig. 4 illustrates a section taken on line 4-4 of Fig. 2;

Fig. 5 illustrates a side view oi the valve casing top bushing, partially in section;

Fig. 6 illustrates a side view of the valve casing top cap, partially in section;

Fig. 7 illustrates a side view of my improved water key applied to a member of a cornet;

Fig. 8 illustrates an enlarged similar View of the water key, partially in section;

Fig. 9 is a section taken on line 9-9 of Fig. 8; and

Fig. 10 illustrates a plan view of the water key unit only, as Viewed on line 10-10 of Fig. 8.

Similar numerals of reference indicate like parts throughout the several views on the drawings.

Referring now to the details of the drawings the numeral 1 indicates generally a type of cornet, the essential parts of which are well known 5o in this art, and which inciudes'the slide 2 and the valve casing unit, the latter comprising the tubular valve casings 3, 4, and 5, respectively, within which casings the piston valvesnot shown-are reciprocally mounted, said valves being adapted for actuation by the usual finger tips 6, 7 and 8,

(ci. sli-sea) which are mountedl upon the upper ends of the valve stems 9, 10 and 11, respectively, as is well known in this art.

The three casings 3, 4 and 5 may be rigidly secured together in spaced rel-ation by a plurality of connector studs 12 and 1'3?, by soldering, or otherwise in any suitable manner.

The adjacent surfaces 15 and 16 of casings 3 and' 4', and theadjacent surfaces 17 and l8` of casings 4 and 5, are'formed smooth and curved or 65 semicircular orcylindrical to facilitate the finishing and polishing thereof subsequent to the initial unfinished assembly of said casings. The structure described contemplates' the provision of the o-pposed smooth surfaces 16 and 17y on 70 casing 4, and' alsol the smoothv surfaces 15 and 18 on1 casings ill and 5 adjacent the opposed surfaces 16 and 17 of casing 4. With the exception of the curved smoothv surfaces 15, 16, 17 and 18 of the" casings 3,4' and 5, respectively, the ex- 75 terior ofeach of said' casings is longitudinally ridgedf for the full length thereof to provide a. longitudinal fluted condition at 19, 20, and 21, respectively,y ofr said casings; whereby the gripping and handling ofl the instrument is materially S0 facilitated in hot weather when the hands of the playerV may be" moist.

The top end of eachV tubular valve casing is provided with an enlarged or counterbore 22, in which bore the cylindrical lower end 23 of the 85 tubular bushing 24 is rigidly mounted in any suitable manner, for example, by soldering. The upper end of the bushing 24 may be exteriorly screw threaded at 25 to receive the valve casing Y, top cap 26 which may be interiorly screw threaded 90 at 27 for that purpose. The bushing 24 may be provided also with the circumferential annular flange or shoulder 28, formed intermediate its extremities, the lower face of said fiange engaging the end of the Valve casing, and the upper side thereof being engaged by the lower edge of the cap 26 when the latter is screwed home on said bushing. The cap 26 is provided with the usual central aperture 29 to admit the passage of a valve stern 9, as is well known in the art.

The numeral 30 indicates generally my improved water key unit which is rigidly mounted upon the bend of the slide 2, and said water key unit may comprise generally the curved key ele ment 31, upon which is mounted the pad-Cup 40 105 carrying pad 35; the key mount 33; the spring 34 for actuating the key element; and the drain hole 36, in communication with the interior of the slide 2 and normally closed by the pad 35, as is well known in the art.

The key mount 33 is provided with a longitudinal slot or recess 38 which is in communication with the circular pad cup recess 39 formed adjacent one end or said mount, said pad cup recess being adapted to operably contain the pad cup 40 of the key. The key body 31 may be provided with suitable trunnions 31 which extend into the mount slot 38 and which are pivotally connected With a bearing pin 32 which is mounted transversely of the slot 38 in said mount in any suitable manner. The body or the key 31 is arranged in registration with the mount slot or recess 38 into which it may project slightly, and into which it is depressive, said key being normally outwardly urged by the spring 34, which is anchored at 37 in the mount slot, to effect sealing of the drain tube 36 by the pad 35.

The outer edges of the key body 31 are reunded, as usual, and the outer periphery cf the mount on the opposite sides and ends of the slot 3S and recess 39, are rounded and smoothed symmetrically to impart a streamline effect to the Water key unit, whereby ent-angling contact or engagement of the key parts with the players hands, fingers, or clothing, or other objects, is rendered impossible.

I claim:

1. In a musical instrument of the character described, a valve casing unit comprising a plurality cf tubular valve casings, each oi said casings being provided with exterier longitudinal undulations which extend partly circumferentially thereof, the remaining surface of each casing being smooth.

2. In a musical instrument of the character described, a tubular valve casing provided with exterior longitudinal undulations for a portion only of its circumferential extent.

3. In a horn, a tubular valve casing having a longitudinal luted exterior, a tubular shouldered bushing rigidly mounted on the upper end of said casing, partly within and partly Without said casing, the bushing shoulder being arranged adjacent the iiuted upper end of said casing, and a cap for said bushing removably mounted thereon.

4. In a horn, a tubular valve casing provided with a longitudinal uted exterior and a counterbore at its upper end, a tubular bushing rigidly mounted in said casing counterbore and projecting to the casing exterior, said bushing being provided with an exterior circumferential shoulder which engages the end of said casing adje.- cent the termination of said iluted portion, and a, cap removably screw threaded upon the exposed portion of said bushing.

5. In a valved musical instrument of the character described, a valve casing unit comprising three tubular valve casings rigidly secured together, each of said casings being formed with exterior longitudinal undulations for a portion only of the circumference thereof, the remaining exterior surface of each valve casing being otherwise formed.

6. In a horn, a valve casing unit comprising three tubular valve casings rigidly secured together, each of said casings being formed with exterior longitudinal undulations for a portion only of the circumference thereof, the remaining exterior surface of each valve casing being formed smooth to facilitate finishing thereof.

'7. In a horn, a valve casing unit comprising three tubular valve casings rigidly secured together, each valve casing being exteriorly iluted longitudinally thereof and provided with a counterbore at its upper end, a. tubular bushing rigidly mounted in each casing counterbore and projecting to the casing exterior, each of said bushings being provided with an exterior circumferential shoulder which engages the end of the valve casing adjacent the termination of the iiuted exterior of said casing.

8. In a horn, a valve casing iuiit comprising three tubular valve casings rigidly secured together, each valve casing being exteriorly uted longitudinally thereof and provided with a counterbore at its upper end, a tubular bushing rigidly mounted in each casing counterbore and projecting to the casing exterior', each of said bushings being provided With an exterior circumferential shoulder which engages the end of the valve casing adjacent the termination of casing fluting, and a cap screw threaded upon the exposed portion or" said bushing.

LELAND B. GREENLEAF. 

